Avatar: HOHENZOLLERNBRUECKE Cologne with CATHEDRAL and LUDWIG MUSEUM. The Bridge a symbol of how Germany was rebuilt after WWII, it was left in ruins, the Cathedral with roots in the 13th century represents the country's history, Museum of Modern Art the present day.

My Jewish "bubby"/grandmother who was from Eastern Europe (ending up in Latvia) spoke a mishmash of English, German, Polish, Russian and,of course, Yiddish, so I never really knew which language those words that she spoke came from. She was always exhorting me to be a MENSCH- such as "eat like a mensch" or "talk like a mensch" or "dress like a mensch." Thus, I suppose that I was fortunate that she she did not aspire for me to be a SCHWEINEHUND!Also from her I learned to be neither a SCHLEMIEL, SHLEMAZEL nor a SCHMUCK (literally and figuratively!).

..and then there is Swiss German which 'language' I believe does not come in a written form at all or with dictionaries?

I hear you can have a long conversation in SwissGerman and confirm all in email and correspondence etc in formal/informal/colloquial German depending on the context of said conversation.

I also hear that Swiss German goes beyond merely being a dialect of German - and that with most languages, when it comes to use, a native can recognise someone who speaks Parisian French as opposed to one from Provence or Brussels as with a Berne German speaker versus one from Zurich.

I speak Schnizel - that international German dialect.

Funny how memories have a way of sneaking up on us and us being able to revel in them. I love it too when that happens for me - but Francine, please request three bits of eisbein from a friendly and perplexed restaurateur ... I can imagine the downside of being faced with the whole one 'en bone'. But maybe not!

Well can see who isn't too far from a German community Lestie. Alle mal for "everybody", now that is real German.

As for "Switzerduetsch" it really is a Swiss dialect of German, with which the Swiss can communicate without having the average German understand a word.

Which can also be said for the Bavarian dialect of German, even more especially after a few hours at an Oktoberfest. There are special dictionaries to help out, and like Swiss/German to see these things written down is better than a comedy show sometimes.

Most languages are influenced by area. Parisians do speak very differently from those in Burgundy and also from the French speakers of Belgium, and the same goes for English speakers. Went to visit my youngest son when he was at Uni in Newcastle, and found it very difficult to understand what was being said in shops etc.

Memories, you are right, they do sneak up on us when we least expect them, and yes perhaps an entire Eisbein, complete with bone and fat - Yuk - would have been a bit much even if I wasn't basically a non-meat eater. Can't really say vegetarian as I do eat fish, shell fish and cheese as well as any vegetable or fruit I can lay my hands on. Bit of a piglet myself really, perhaps that is another reason Eisbein was a bit of a struggle

Avatar: HOHENZOLLERNBRUECKE Cologne with CATHEDRAL and LUDWIG MUSEUM. The Bridge a symbol of how Germany was rebuilt after WWII, it was left in ruins, the Cathedral with roots in the 13th century represents the country's history, Museum of Modern Art the present day.

Have heard all those words so many times, their origins really are just as mixed as your Grandmother's usage, and do use Mensch a lot myself, even when talking English. It is a beautiful word to describe someone as, and it is of course just great to find folks who deserve the description.

Have only met a few "Schweinehund" types luckily, but that was more than enough, so thank goodness your lovely "Super-Gran" steered you in the opposite direction.

Avatar: HOHENZOLLERNBRUECKE Cologne with CATHEDRAL and LUDWIG MUSEUM. The Bridge a symbol of how Germany was rebuilt after WWII, it was left in ruins, the Cathedral with roots in the 13th century represents the country's history, Museum of Modern Art the present day.